When I attended a Transhumanist party
With the cream of the literati,
Some random old guy
Said, “I’m an AI!”.
And cyborgs danced at that party.
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When I attended a Transhumanist party
With the cream of the literati,
Some random old guy
Said, “I’m an AI!”.
And cyborgs danced at that party.
K Morris - Poet 
I hadn’t heard of Transhumanists, so I looked it up. Beware the law of unintended consequences.
It is an interesting philosophy, Liz. Indeed some might say that Transhumanism is to many (if not all) of its adherents a kind of secular religion. Rather than living eternally in heaven one can (according to their philosophy) achieve immortality through the use of technology. Interestingly one of their key figures (the inventor Ray kurzweil) created the first reading machine for the blind, the Kurzweil scanner. I remember using mine to read printed books. You would place them on a scanner which would then convert the text into speech.
I remain a skeptic about achieving physical immortality through the use of technology.
I also have my doubts, Liz. However, it is undoubtedly the case that the average life-span (in the western world at least), has greatly increased in the 20th and 21st centuries. How far that life-span can be increased via the manipulation of genes and other medical interventions remains very much up for debate I think. There is also the question of quality of life. One may live to a ripe (perhaps a very ripe old age), but suffer from dimencia.
Yes, the Tithonus factor.
Reblogged this on https:/BOOKS.ESLARN-NET.DE.
Thanks for the share, Michael.
You’re welcome, Kevin! xx Michael